Kenya’s journalism community is mourning the loss of one of its finest minds, Ben Ochieng’ Ogodo, a renowned science journalist and editor, who passed away in the early hours of Thursday, April 17.
According to a statement from his family, Ogodo had been feeling slightly unwell in recent days, attributing the symptoms to a mild flu.
However, those close to him said he was in high spirits on Wednesday evening, actively engaging with friends online as he followed the UEFA Champions League quarter final match between Arsenal and Real Madrid.
However, at around 2:00 am, while resting at his Nairobi home, Ogodo experienced sudden and severe chest pains. He quickly alerted his children, who wasted no time in calling a cab and rushing him to Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital.
Despite their quick action, he was pronounced dead on arrival at the facility’s emergency unit.
Tributes have since poured in from colleagues, friends, and institutions in the media industry.
In a heartfelt message, Kenya Editors’ Guild (KEG) President Zubeida Kananu expressed deep sorrow at Ogodo’s passing.
“We at the Kenya Editors Guild are deeply saddened by the passing of Ochieng’ Ogodo, a long-standing member of our community and one of Kenya’s most accomplished science journalists and editors,” said Kananu.
She praised his passion for simplifying complex subjects, especially in science, the environment, and development, so they could be understood by everyday audiences.
His work reached global platforms including National Geographic, Nature Medicine, The Guardian (UK), the British Medical Journal, and locally through The Standard Media Group.
His legacy extends beyond writing—he was the founding chairperson of the Kenya Environment and Science Journalists Association (KENSJA) and served for 15 years on the Executive Board of the World Federation of Science Journalists.
In 2008, he was honored with the Reuters-IUCN Media Award for Excellence in Environmental Reporting.
Colleagues remembered Ogodo not only for his incisive journalism and editorial prowess but also for his generous spirit.
Ogodo graduated with a Master’s degree in Communication and Media Studies from the University of Nairobi.
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